They're fun! I've had the m38 and m44, both are quite similar in almost all regards, considering that the M44 has the permanently attached bayonet.
I only ever shot surplus through mine, but it was reasonably accurate. Personally I would go with a sportered enfield for deer hunting, mainly because an accurate enfield of the same size and weight is much easier to find than the same standard of M44. If you're trying to validate a milsurp purchase by wanting it for hunting, then it's a decent rig for that.
I am slightly biased though, as I prefer long rifles to carbines.